A. Field of the Invention
The invention broadly relates to portable food storage containers.
B. Background of the Invention
In the past few years, dieting trends and childhood obesity have shifted greater emphasis on portion control. More food manufacturers now offer products packaged for the health and diet-conscious consumer. However, few makers of personal thermal coolers, lunch totes and disposable food storage containers offer portioning alternatives for consumers wanting flexibility in preparing meals for work, school, travel and recreation. The invention described herein addresses the current limitations of storing and cooling healthier portioned food along with a beverage.
C. Prior Art
While there are many makers of plastic, disposable food storage containers, portable coolers, meal carriers, totes, and the like only a few specifically target the diet-conscious market.
Brenkus (U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,488) comprises a diet method which is designed to provide the user with a balanced diet while restricting the caloric intake by controlling the portion size in a simple and convenient manner. The method employs an apparatus which is preferably in the shape of a plate comprising a plurality of compartments which are designed to enclose a specified volume of food. The apparatus is used with associated meal cards having a variety of foods listed thereon. The foods are listed in specific sections on the card which correspond to the compartments of the apparatus.
Smith (U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,813) comprises a portable modular cooler system for beverages which includes one or more bottles containing a freezable coolant refrigerant. The bottles define recesses for receiving the housed beverage containers. An insulated casing extends about the bottle to maintain and contain containers in a cooled condition for an extended period of time. The bottles and casing are inserted into a carrying case for convenience of the user.
Torney (U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,907) comprises a food storage container that provides an insulated box member having a plurality of walls defining an internal cavity, and at least one wall being hinged or otherwise movable to enable access to the interior. The box is conditioned to carry a plurality of internal, modular storage bin members of various shapes and capacities. The storage bins include protruding edge portions that fit within integral side sleeves formed in the interior walls of the box to secure the storage bins in a particular position.
Woodnorth (U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,834) comprises a lunch holder for holding a food product and a beverage container includes a cover section and a base section. A base divider separates the base section into a food product compartment and a beverage container compartment including a container receiving area shaped to receive a generally cylindrical container. The beverage container compartment further includes a recessed portion disposed below the container receiving area for collecting condensation falling from the cylindrical beverage container and which is further shaped to receive a rectangular beverage container. The lunch holder also includes an inner lid which covers the food product compartment.
Kalb (U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,678) comprises a lunch bucket or box that includes an elongated three-sided container having an L-shaped top cover and a side wall door pivotally attached to the container walls to form a closed container. The container is compartmented with a series of food compartments exposed through the sidewall door, and at least one of which has a vertical divider to define beverage can compartments. The upper end of the container is constructed to releasably receive an integrated hot plate and bowl unit for heating of food products. The container is exposed by opening the top cover.
Hutcheson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,115) comprises a portable meal container that includes a base member for containing food having a substantially rectangular bottom wall and four integral perpendicular side walls of equal height terminating in a unitary top rim and a detachable cover member having top and bottom surfaces adapted to form a tight seal with the top rim portion of the base member. The meal container includes a thermally insulated container member for receiving and disbursing liquid releasably attached to a portion of the top surface of the cover member and a compartment member for containing at least one eating utensil within the compartment member which is also attached to a portion of the top surface of the cover member. The utensil compartment member includes a cover detachable sealed to the upper surface of the compartment member for providing access to the compartment member and the utensils contained therein.
Preston (U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,338) is a food carrier that comprises a plurality of stacked, interchangeable rigid food tray assemblies, at least one of the tray assemblies having a plurality of compartments formed therein. A strap secures the stacked food tray assemblies to each other, the strap comprises a handle for carrying the food carrier. A thermally insulated cover is provided for the outside of the food tray assemblies for stabilizing the temperature of the food contained therein.
Maier (U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,067) is a container with a freezable liquid for use in or out of an ice chest for temporary cooling purposes. The container generally has a top and a bottom and four sides connected to form a rectangular box type structure. The sides are to have dovetail joints that work as a fastening means to connect more than one together, thus making for a longer lasting cooling means. Maier is distinguishable from the invention described herein in a variety of ways, including that Maier is limited to the cooler element within a box, and that the invention described herein does not have dovetail joints, preferably has protrusions on the bottom of the cooler to stabilize it within the container, and is also used in combination with a folding plate and food containers.
These and other products market to health and diet-conscious consumers. Each product is unique in function and style, however, all have either limitations relating to interchangeability with different volume containers and/or flexibility in storing and cooling portioned food with a beverage. The invention described herein solves these deficiencies in the art and provide a novel and useful product.